Atheistic
Ludicrous
Conspiratorial
Incessant
Lascivious
Discordant
Callisthenic
Menacing
Imperceptible
Crescendo
Zoology
Servitude
Demeanour
Amenable
Pilgrimage
Avatar
Muezzin
Surreptitiously
Ruminants
Curmudgeon
Gregarious
Heinous
Lethargy
Putrefaction
Subjugation
Emaciated
Lustre
Sacrilegious
Obtuse
Amoral
Eviscerated
Chimera
Precipitously
Conjecture
Leviathan
Arboreal
Scimitars
Guttural
Paradoxical
Harmonious
Existential
Apoplectic
Piety
Perplexed
Indignation
Curlicues
Chagrin
Nemesis
Memorabilia
Incredulous
Ferocity
Cataleptic
Buoyancy
Debris
Placid
Conjecture
Viscera
Oestrous
Pungent
Dire
Coagulating
Infuriated
Formidable
Edification
Empirical
Distillate
Forlorn
Disconsolate
Delirium
Expendable
Sustenance
Gregarious
Guise
Fortification
Plausible
Subjugation
Supplication
Precipitously
Lucidity
Bedraggled
Poignancy
Consternation
Ponderous
Arboreal
Tentatively
Flotilla
Precarious
Evanescent
Furtive
Luminescence
Incessant
Sentient
Mantra
Bludgeon
Attrition
Sanguine
Treacherous
Ominous
Adversary
Fastidiously
Squall
Arduous
Questions Part One
Questions on the Author’s note
-What is the purpose of the Author’s note?
-What convinces the author to listen to Francis
Adirubasamy’s story and why is this significant?
-Explain what is meant by the author’s final words when he
says” If we, citizens, do not support our artists…” Do you
agree with his view? What would happen in society of people
focused solely on science and technology at the expense of arts and culture?
Chapter 1:
-“My suffering left me sad and gloomy.” What is the effect of this sentence on the reader?
Chapter 2:
-What is the purpose of such a short chapter?
Chapter 3
-What makes Pi different from his family? Why is this important?
Chapter 4
-What do zoos and religion have in common?
-What do Pi’s vivid descriptions of the zoo tell us about his relationship with animals?
-In what way are zoos and homes the same?
Chapter 5
-What is Pi’s first nickname and how does he feel about it?
-What does Pi do to ensure he does relive his childhood teasing?
-What is the significance of Pi’s new name?
Chapter 6
-What do we learn about Pi in this chapter?
Chapter 7
-Does Pi’s description of his biology teacher, Mr Kumar, fit in with the man’s worldview?
-“To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of
transportation.” What is Pi talking about when he says this line? Explain what Pi is saying in this
line.
Chapter 8
-Why can man be considered the most dangerous animal?
-Pi points out that there is something more dangerous to animals than man. What is it and why
would it be considered dangerous?
Chapter 9
-What aspect of animal behaviour is discussed in this chapter?
Chapter 10
-According to Pi, why do animals escape from zoos?
Chapter 11
-Why do you think the author tells us about the case of the female black leopard? What point is
he trying to get across?
Chapter 12
-The author’s diction foreshadows the events of the story Pi is relating to him. Find two
examples of this foreshadowing and explain them.
-What is the spicy food that the author cannot stomach, a symbol of?
Chapter 13-14
-What makes lion taming possible?
-Why does the author tell us about the social hierarchy that exists in the animal kingdom?
Chapter 15
-What do the religious items in Pi’s home tell us about Pi and his faith system?
-Why do you think the author felt it necessary to tell us about them?
Chapter 16
-Who introduces Pi to God?
-What are the core tenets of Hinduism?
-Pi tells the author about Lord Krishna when he was a cowherd. What point is Pi making by
telling this story?
Chapter 17
-How old is Pi when he discovers Christianity? Why is this significant?
-Who helps Pi understand the core tenets of the Christian faith?
-Why do you think it is so easy for Pi to embrace both Hinduism and Christianity?
Chapter 18-20
-What Muslim ritual does Pi encounter and what is its effect on him?
-Name two things that impress Pi the most about the Muslim religion.
-Why does Pi find the Muslim Sufi’s name so pleasing?
-Pi recalls two instances where he felt close to God. How are these instances alike?
Chapter 23
-Briefly describe the event recorded in this chapter.
-Why are the religious leaders so upset?
-What is Pi’s response to the commotion that took place that day?
-How do Pi’s parents respond to their son’s new faith system?
Chapter 25
-Why does Pi condemn people who try to defend God?
Chapter 26
-How does Pi convince his father that he needs to be baptised and needs a prayer rug?
-Why is it so interesting that Pi’s mother offers him a copy of “Robinson Crusoe” in an attempt
to distract him?
Chapter 27
-What do we learn about Pi’s mother and father’s religious affiliations in this chapter?
-What political tensions are being hinted at in the comment “It too may pass- like Mrs Ghandi”
Chapter 29
-What was happening in India at the time that caused Pi’s father to move?
-Comment on the use of the word ”bolt” in the line “ The New India split to pieces and collapsed
in Father’s mind. Mother assented. We would bolt”
Chapter 30
-Who do we meet in this chapter and why are we told about them?
-What other characteristic do we learn about Pi here?
Chapter 31
-Describe each Mr Kumar?
-Pi is very worried about not being able to recognise Mr Kumar (the baker). What is this
symbolic of? (Hint- Pi’s eyes are often mentioned)
-Describe each Mr Kumar’s experience at and approach to the zoo.
-This chapter essentially describes two different approaches to life, what are they?
-Notice how Pi makes mention of their meeting the zebra. What is this foreshadowing?
Chapter 32
-What is zoomorphism?
-How does Pi’s discussion on zoomorphism foreshadow the events that will follow?
Chapter 33
-What is significant about the family memorabilia and photos that Pi shows the author? Look at
who is in the photos and what is happening in the photos.
-“A smile every time, but his eyes tell another story.” Why does the author make this comment?
What does he want us to realise?
-Comment on the reference to white gown. What is white symbolic of in literature? How might
this be important knowing what Pi went through.
-From the way Pi talks about Richard Parker, is he an animal or a person?
-Comment on the photo of the pool. What is this foreshadowing?
-Comment on the school motto. How does this tie into the struggle that Pi is about to go
through?
-Why does Pi make a special mention of his mother?
Chapter 34
-Comment on the reference to Columbus.
-How do Pi and Ravi react to the move?
-What is the effect of the short sentences when Pi describes the paperwork involved.
Chapter 35
-Briefly describe the Patel’s family departure.
-Discuss the cargo ship’s name. Why is it important?
-What do we learn of Pi’s attitude to facing adversity?
Chapter 36
-Describe each of adult Pi’s family.
-Why does the author decide to put this information in at this point?
-Why does the author spend so much time focusing on the little girl?
-What might the orange cat represent?
Questions Part Two
Chapter 37
-The feel and pulse of novel suddenly changes at this point. What techniques has the author
used to achieve this effect?
-What effect does the opening line of this chapter, have on the reader?
-What new information is revealed to us in this chapter?
-How does the writer show us the start of Pi’s spiritual journey at sea?
Chapter 38
-What purpose does the flashback technique serve in this chapter?
-“It moved with the slow, massive confidence of a continent.” What does this line tell us about
the Tsimtsum? What might have caused such a large and powerful ship to sink?
-What imagery does Pi use to describe the sinking of the ship?
Chapter 39
-How does Pi land up in the lifeboat?
-Think of the look and charactersitics of a zebra. Why might Martel have chosen a zebra above
other animals? What could the zebra symbolise (think of the black and white stripes)?
Chapter 40
-Why do you think Pi spends so much time explaining his position on the oar?
-Why do you think Pi hangs on to the oar for so long and what does this prove?
Chapter 41
-How do the flickering lights reflect Pi’s emotions?
-What awful realisation does Pi come to after he discovers the hyena on the lifeboat?
-What do we learn about tigers in this chapter?
-Why does the presence of the hyena bring relief to Pi?
Chapter 42
-What imagery is used to describe Orange Juice? Is this imagery effective? Why or why not?
What does this description of Orange Juice tell us about Pi’s feelings toward the animal?
-What happens to the bananas? Why might the author have included this?
Chapter 43
-How is the hyena described in this chapter? Quote specific words.
-From Pi’s description, do we form a negative or positive view of the Hyena?
-How does Pi respond to the hyena’s chaotic behaviour?
-Explain why, at this point in the novel, Pi is safe from the hyena.
Chapter 44
-What dangers does the night time bring for Pi?
Chapter 45
-Why is Pi not able to empathise and help the zebra?
-Pi describes Orange Juice as “she”. What pronoun is used to describe the male hyena? How
does this influence our perceptions of the two animals?
-How does the author bring in some comic relief in this chapter?
Chapter 46
-What might the gathering clouds symbolise?
-Why does this night stand out in Pi’s memory?
-What tragic thing does the hyena do?
-What is the effect of the graphic detail in chapter?
-What atmosphere is created by describing the sights, sounds and smells on the lifeboat?
Chapter 47
-How is the mood on the lifeboat created in the first paragraph?
-What does Pi learn about the survival instincts of animals in this chapter?
-Discuss the irony of the final image of Organge Juice.
-What change happens at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 48
-Why does the tone of voice change in this chapter? Suggest two reasons.
-How does Richard Parker come to get his name?
-How does Richard Parker’s original name link with the subject of thirst and Pi’s situation?
Chapter 49
-Explain the irony in Pi’s step to survival.
-What imagery is used to describe Pi’s search for supplies when he crosses the tarpaulin. Are
the images effective? Why or Why not?
Chapter 50
-What do we find out about the colour orange in this chapter?
-What idiom is used to describe Pi’s experience on the lifeboat?
Chapter 51
-How does Pi’s actions throughout this chapter indicate his instincts for survival?
-What safety features does Pi set out in case of an attack?
Chapter 52
-What is remarkable about the list that Pi notes for us?
-How do the final items contrast with the other items on the list? Why do you think Pi added
one God?
-What allows Pi to fall asleep at last?
Chapter 53
-What aspects of Pi’s personality start emerging in this chapter?
-What is Pi’s attitude to survival?
-Why do you think the author includes a detailed account of the hyena’s death and an in-depth
description of Richard Parker’s physical characteristics?
-How does the death of the hyena contrast with the killing of the zebra? How does this affect
your view of Richard Parker?
Chapter 54
-Briefly outline the six plans Pi gives for coping with Richard Parker.
-Although this night is as difficult as the first couple, Pi seems in better spirits. What has helped
him so far?
Chapter 55
-How does Pi come to realise that his plan for Richard Parker is not going to work.
Chapter 56
-What is Pi’s true “opponent” in this situation?
-How will Pi overcome this “opponent”?
Chapter 57
-“It was Richard Parker who calmed me down” Explain the irony that Pi explores in this
chapter. How does Richard Parker help Pi?
-Think back to the chapter on lion taming and the circus master. How does that chapter relate
to Pi’s experience here?
-There is a surprising plot twist at the end of this chapter. What is it and what does it tell us
about how Pi has changed.
Chapter 58
-How does the writer show us Pi’s growing sense of purpose?
-Do you think that paying attention to detail is a characteristic that Pi has shown throughout the
novel? Why is this an important quality to have in life?
Chapter 59
-What piece of his own advice is Pi heeding this chapter?
-Comment on the effectivity of simile “I felt as freshly watered as a potted plant”.
-Pi spends a lot of time telling us about his daily activities. What effect do these activities have
on him?
-What is the extended metaphor Pi uses to describe the life around the boat? Is this an effective
image?
-Comment on the power dynamics that are emerging between Pi and Richard Parker.
Chapter 60
-What does Pi notice in this chapter? What does he compare these things to?
-What realisation does Pi come to in this chapter?
Chapter 61
-What is the effect of the humorous take to Pi’s first fishing attempt?
-How does the divine protect and help Pi in this chapter?
-What is Pi’s attitude to the fish he has just caught? Why does he have this attitude?
-What does Pi learn about himself in this chapter?
Chapter 62
-Why is Pi’s description of the solar stills as “sea-cows” an apt description?
-What instrument does Pi use to train Richard Parker?
-What is the colour of the turtle that appears to Pi? What might this colour symbolise?
Chapter 63
-How long was Pi at sea in total? How does this number relate to Pi’s name?
-What two dates does Pi remember and why are they significant?
-What ritual does Pi perform several times a day? What does this tell us about his state of mind?
-According to Pi, what has allowed him to survive at sea for all this time?
Chapter 64-65
-How does the disintegration of Pi’s clothes affect him both physically and emotionally?
-What reasons does Pi give for abandoning his search for safety?
Chapter 66
-How has Pi’s fishing skill improved?
-Why does Pi feel he has descended into a level of savagery he never thought possible?
Chapter 67
-What are the “oceanic hitchhikers” and what purpose do they serve in Pi’s quest for survival?
Chapter 68-69
-What is the main reason for Pi’s lack of sleep?
-How does Pi’s theory about his rescue relate to his name? Why is this significant?
-Why are the words “and see me” italicised?
-What does Pi’s ability to find a positive aspect to each negative tell you about him?
Chapter 70
-What does Pi’s description of killing the turtle tell you about his changed attitude?
Chapter 71
-Why do you think the writer chose to include this training schedule ?
-What is the effect of the capital letters in the instructions?
Chapter 72
-Why was Pi so determined to persevere with the training of the tiger? What would have
happened had he given up?
Chapter 73
-What type of book does Pi wish to read and why?
-Why does Pi find it difficult to write?
-As Pi cannot have a book, what does he do instead to satisfy his need for a story? What does
this tell you about the need for storytelling in society?
Chapter 74
-How does Pi’s faith system affect his perceptions of his experience?
Chapter 76
-Why does Pi spend so much time telling us about his bowel movements?
Chapter 77
-What evidence is there in this chapter that Pi’s mental and physical state is deteriorating?
Chapter 78
-What figures of speech does the author use to describe the sea in the second paragraph? Why
are these descriptions particularly apt considering the circumstances?
-What does Pi compare the life of a castaway to? Explain fully.
Chapter 79
-Pi now refers to Richard Parker and himself as “us”. What does this word tell you about how he
views Richard Parker?
-What does Pi’s description of the sharks as “old friends” tell you about the extent of his
loneliness?
-What major battle takes place in this chapter and who wins?
Chapter 80
-Why is this Dorado, considered special?
-What change is taking place in the relationship between Pi and Richard Parker?
Chapter 81
-What is the effect of the repeated word “roof” in this chapter?
-What is the purpose of this chapter?
Chapter 82
-What startling realisation does Pi come to at the end of this chapter? How does he feel about
this realisation?
Chapter 83
-What is the effect of saying ”the storm” as opposed to “a storm”? How does it affect the way
you view this storm and Pi’s situation?
-What is about this storm that allows Pi to remember it in such detail? Why is this a particularly
important storm?
-“…had the same effect on me as the last standing beam of a burnt-down house would have on a
householder.” Pi says this line when he reflects upon losing the raft. What does this image tell
us about the way Pi viewed the raft? What feelings are conveyed in this image?
Chapter 84
-This chapter spends a lot of time talking about whales and birds. From Pi’s perspective, what
might they have in common?
Chapter 85
-How doe Pi and Richard parker respond to the lightning? What does this tell you about them?
-Look at the diction used to describe the lightning. What does it tell you about the Pi’s spiritual
growth?
Chapter 86
-How is Pi nearly saved?
-How does Pi deal with his disappointment?
Chapter 88
-Does Pi still have hope that he will be rescued? What proof can you find in this chapter?
Chapter 89
-What do the fading colours signify?
-What causes Pi to stop wiring in his diary? How does this affect? What happens to us when we
are unable to document our feelings and work through them?
Chapter 90
-What has happened to Richard Parker?
-What about Pi’s current situation is making him feel particularly despondent?
- How does Pi first respond when he first hears the word “castaway”?
-Who is this other person?
-What is the importance of the strange conversation that takes place between Pi and the
castaway?
- What is it that dies in Pi and never comes back to life again?
Chapter 91
--How is compassion expressed in this chapter?
Chapter 92
-What is significant about the colour of the Algea Island?
-What animal inhabits this island and what happens to them at night?
-What startling thing does Pi discover about this island?
-Discuss the symbolism of the island.
Chapter 94
-Where does Pi end up?
-What happens to Richard Parker when they arrive and how does it affect Pi?
Questions Part Three
Chapter 95
-Who is the narrator of this chapter?
-Why do think the author put this chapter in? Why should we care about the journey the two
investigators took?
Chapter 96
-How does the formal, factual style of Mr Okamoto’s introduction and manner help you
understand his approach to life? How do you think he and Pi will get on?
-What is Pi’s response to the investigators at this point in the novel?
Chapter 97
-Why is this one line given its own chapter? What could it be telling us about the importance of
storytelling and stories?
Chapter 98
-Why are the investigators sceptical of Pi’s story?
Chapter 99
-How does Pi respond to each of the queries posed by the investigators?
-Why does some of the conversation appear in cursive letters?
-Why does Pi reference famous scientists and explorers in his defence?
-“Doesn’t the telling of something always become a story?” How does this statement reflect the
religious metaphor evident throughout the whole story?
-Outline the second story Pi tells the investigators.
-What stands out to you in the second story?
-Who does each animal represent in the second story?
-Why might the investigators prefer the first story?
Chapter 100
-Who narrates this final chapter?
-What is the significance of the number of this final chapter?
-What does Okamoto’s assessment of Pi and his closing thoughts suggest about Martel’s
worldview?
Questions on the whole book
1. What is the definition of anthropomorphism? What role does it play in the book? Why is
it important to the story?
2. Why is there so much time spent on animals in the book? What does learning about
animals tell us about the characters? Is there a character that resembles the animals? Or
are we learning about human behaviour by watching animals?
3. Why do stories in the first person tend to be more persuasive than stories in the third
person?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a faith system?
5. What experiences did Pi go through that “prepared” him for survival later on?
6. Think about the lesson that Pi’s father teaches him about the Tiger. How does this relate
to the events later on in the novel?
Pi used something “bad”, the constant bullying and teasing over his name, and made it “good” by
changing his perspective on it. At the new school, his name becomes the thing that sets him apart, the
thing that makes him famous. Notice how he does this later on in the boat with Richard Parker.
7. Why do you think there are so many references to France in the novel?
8. What do the follow symbols represent: The number 3; The colour orange; the island; Pi’s
name; the colour green; the turtle; the hyena; the tiger; the orang-utan; the zebra; water
and fish.
9. Pi develops a friendship with the tiger over time, through both taming and training.
Explain the process Pi used to tame and train the tiger. Why do you think Pi needed to
train and tame Richard Parker? Why would a training process be beneficial? Why could
Pi not simply do this in one day?
10. There are multiple storms during the story. Each storm leaves Pi with a new vision and
attitude about his ordeal and the future. Pick one such storm and describe the storm, its
immediate effects on Pi, and its overall effect on the larger story themes.
11. Both the raft and the lifeboat prove critical to Pi’s
success, but in different ways. Discuss why it was
important to Pi’s mind to have both the raft and
the lifeboat. What would have happened if Pi had
never been able to make the raft? What if Pi lost
the lifeboat?
“Fate” lets the author hear about
Pi’s story. Notice how these
supernatural elements are always
at work, shaping, guiding and
leading Pi, sometimes explicitly
and sometimes more subtly.
12. Was Pi inventive in his actions? Or was he simply being logical? If he was inventive, what
in his background helped him out? Or was it simply inspired by something to be
inventive?
13. What is the role of Pi’s diary in his ordeal? Is it important? Why?
14. At many times in the book in the book, Pi nears death, as he runs low on food and the will
to live. Using specific examples from the book, discuss some of these events and what Pi
learns about himself through the events.
15. Look at the relationship between Pi and Richard Parker. Describe how their relationship
changes and develops throughout the ordeal. Why does their relationship change? What
does Richard Parker symbolise?
16. Fear can be an overwhelming emotion. What are some times in the book where it
overwhelms Pi?
17. What makes Pi’s ordeal so difficult for the Japanese interviewers to believe? Would it
have been if Pi had described the tiger, Richard Parker, a human?
18. How do Pi’s religious views shape his view of his ordeal?
19. One of the themes of the story is the survival of life. How do animals, besides the tiger,
play a role in this theme?
20. The success of a work of fiction depends upon the writer’s ability to create the illusion of
reality i.e his/her ability to make people, places and events seem real to the reader. In
terms of this statement, to what extent has Yann Martel’s novel succeeded?
21. Discuss why people can have multiple sides to their characters. What enables humans to
do this? Is it that we have brains? Is it that we have many interests? Is it that we can
rationalize different behaviours for situations?
22. Why do humans, like animals, want to survive? What drives us to survive? What are
some actions humans take to ensure their survival? How are these similar or different to
actions animals take to ensure their survival? Is our survival dependent on anything? Is
animal survival dependent on anything?
23. Why is foreshadowing used in the Life of Pi? Is it an effective tool to use in telling the
story and keeping you interested in the story?
Characters
Pi is the protagonist in the novel. He is also the narrator for most of the novel in which he tells us
his story about his life as a young boy in Pondicherry, India and his extraordinary survival after
spending 227 days in a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean. This extraordinary story of survival inspires
the author (both real and imaginary) to believe that even the most unbearable suffering can be
overcome by faith and belief in “the better story”.
1. Discuss the significance of both pi’s first name and the nickname he gives himself.
2. What do you know about Pi’s:
a. Physical Charactersitics
b. Academic life
c. Career
d. Family life
e. Religion
3. What signs and symptoms of Pi’s ordeal remain many years after his ordeal?
4. Find evidence of the following characteristics of Pi in the novel:
a. He is curious
b. He is firm/ determined
c. He is intelligent
d. He is patient
e. He is sensitive
5. Describe Pi at the beginning of the book, and who he is now. Identify the points in the story
where Pi changes.
6. What caused Pi to change throughout his life? Was it his own spirituality? Was it desperation?
Did Pi really change? What positive influences or events in Pi’s life have changed?
Richard parker is a 450pound, adult male Bengal
tiger. He can be considered
to be Pi’s companion
throughout his ordeal at
sea. Pi says that Richard
Parker saved his life and
even grows to love the
fiersome creature.
1. How does Richard Parker get his name? What was his original name? Why is the fact that the
tiger has a human name important?
2. “Without Richard Parker , I wouldn’t be alive today to tell my story” Explain why Pi gives
Richard Parker credit for his survival.
3. Why is Pi so traumatised by the sudden departure of Richard Parker?
1. Is it harder to retell someone else’s story? Is it better to write a story down or tell
it orally? Are some stories easier to remember than others are? Why?
2. What makes a story believable? Is it details? Is it plausibility? Is it the character/s
and whether you believe the person telling the story? What makes a story
unbelievable? Is it that some of the things in the story have been seen? Is it
because of the location of the story? Is it the person telling the story? Why do you
believe one story more than the another?
3. Pi tells two different stories about his ordeal. What point is Martel making about
storytelling and its role in our life? What point is being made about the stories we
believe?
What about religious texts, do we discard them because they might seem
illogical to us? Does this make them untrue? Think about the Bonsai, Pi cannot
believe that a little 300 year old tree exists because he has never seen one, does
this make the Bonsai false then?
4. “That’s what fiction is about, isn’t it, the selective transforming of reality? The
twisting of it to bring out its essence?”
Why did the author include this question in the Author’s Note? What does it reveal
about the nature of storytelling?
5. Look at the following comments made by Pi. What do they reveal about he role
that storytelling plays in our lives.
a. “The world isn’t just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in our
understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn’t that make
life a story?”
b. “I know what you want. You want a story that won’t surprise you. That will
confirm what you already know. That won’t make you see higher or further
or differently. You want a flat story. An immobile story. You want dry,
yeastless factuality.”
6. Look at Martel’s style of writing and comment on how it contributes to the nature
of storytelling.
“Life is a story...You can choose your story…A story with God is the better story.”
1. Are “belief in God” and “belief in the story” the same thing in the novel? Why or why not?
2. Did Pi’s story succeed in making the author believe in God, like it claims to? Support your
answer with references from the novel.
3. Is there a difference between religious beliefs and faith? Is a distinction made in the
novel? If so why?
4. Do you think Martel’s intention in writing this novel was to promote religion?
Substantiate your answer with references to the text.
5. Another important element of religion is the place that science has. Martel often brings
these two together. Pi is a very spiritual man yet he is a trained academic in a field of
science. By bringing these two seemingly contradictory fields together, what point is
Martel making?
6. Is there a point in the novel when science seems to be more important than religion?
7. When the Japanese officials tell Pi that they do not believe his story about the
carnivorous island because carnivorous trees and fish-eating algae do not exist, pi
responds, “Only because you’ve never seen them”. What does this comment suggest
about science and religion?
8. “I applied my reason at every moment. Reason is excellent for getting food, clothing and
shelter. Reason is the very best tool kit. Nothing beats reason for keeping tigers away.
But be excessively reasonable and you risk throwing out the universe with the
bathwater.” What does Pi mean by this statement? What does it reveal about the place of
science and religion in one’s life?
9. “I know zoos are no longer in people’s good graces. Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions of freedom plague them both” Discuss the “illusions about freedom” to
which Pi is referring.
“Life will defend itself no matter how small it is”
1. How does Martel show that nature can change by the will to survive? Look specifically at
Pi and the animals in the lifeboat.
2. “Something in me died then that has never come back to life” Place this quote in context.
How does it relate to the theme of survival?
3. How did journal writing serve as a survival mechanism in the novel?
4. List all the things that Pi does in a bid to survive.
5. How does the Novel emphasise the role of storytelling as a means of survival.